Broken
by Roxie Zephyr Jocelyn
Summary: [Spoilers for Episode 11 of Kamen Rider Gaim] Hase Ryouji hated losing, but it never meant that he had feared it. Until now.


A/N: Spoilers for Episode 11 of Kamen Rider Gaim. Timeline: Episode 11 of Kamen Rider Gaim. The fascinating characters of Kamen Rider Gaim do not belong to me, but to their esteemed creator. Enjoy~

Broken

His Belt was broken.

It was warm where blood ran down his forehead, and it stung where sweat, dirt and more blood spilled into open wounds and scratches. He could feel his breath rattling in his chest and his ribs ached; he should probably be thanking his lucky stars that he was still alive.

But, everything paled in comparison to the fact that his Belt was broken.

Hase Ryouji flung an arm over his eyes, biting his lip, drawing blood, even as they burned with tears he refused to cry. The other Rider – the one who had driven him to the state he was in – had disappeared into the depths of the forest, leaving Ryouji with nothing but his hurt and useless body – broken, like his Belt – and his spiraling thoughts.

It was funny that this particular setback devastated him as much as it did; after all, Ryouji wasn't a stranger to losing. Team Raid Wild had been through everything – their first dance battle had resulted in them being drowned in rain and booed off the stage; their first Inves Game had resulted in them losing all their Lock Seeds and several of them actually ending up in the hospital from a wild Inves rampage – and they had always managed to make a comeback; better than ever, stronger than ever.

Loss had never held him back, so Ryouji couldn't understand why people feared it as much as they did.

Team Raid Wild was a team to be feared because loss only fueled them on; more determined, more driven than ever to achieve their goal.

And, Ryouji had never feared loss because loss was a reminder that he couldn't rest on his laurels; the kick in the butt that he needed whenever his team and he had become complacent with their victories.

After all, nobody could improve if they didn't know what they needed to improve on.

So, yes, Ryouji hated losing, but it didn't mean that he feared it.

Until now.

He couldn't move – at the slightest shift, every inch of his body spiked with pain – and he was lying on the floor of an unknown forest filled with wild Inves just waiting to pounce on him. His only way out of his predicament was the very Rider who had attacked him and had seemingly left him for dead.

_There were the __other Riders who had entered the forest with him - for all their rivalry, they were certainly more likely to help Ryouji - but Gridon was the one who would most probably be the first to find him, and Jounouchi was the last person Ryouji wanted anywhere near the Rider who had attacked him. _

The very Rider who had broken his Belt.

Ryouji supposed he should be scared out of his wits – he was really, truly stuck, and it really was the end of the line for him if he didn't do something – but in that moment, as the sharp stones dug into his back and his short breaths hitched in his chest, his mind was filled with a single thought.

His Belt was broken, and Jounouchi would no longer need him.

Because theirs was an alliance of convenience; Jounouchi was the tactical one, Ryouji was the powerhouse. Without the Driver, even with his physical prowess, Ryouji was completely outclassed. He may be able to hold his own against the Inves, but against other Riders?

He didn't stand a chance.

And, that terrified Ryouji.

Without a Belt, he was weak, and even worse, he was practically useless. He couldn't fight Jounouchi's battles for him – therefore, nullifying the very foundation of their partnership – and he couldn't fight alongside Jounouchi – it rankled that this had to have happened just when they had finally gotten a hang of each other's rhythm.

And, more importantly, Ryouji couldn't protect Jounouchi; could instead be used to hurt the Invitto leader.

Sure, he had played around with using the Jounouchi as a shield against the enemy, and sure, they didn't always fight together, but somewhere at the back of his mind, Ryouji had somehow been secure in the fact that as long as he was Kurokage – and as long as Jounouchi was Gridon – there was no battle they couldn't fight. Sure, they still ended up losing, but as long as they fought together, they were never out of the game for long; plotting, planning, practicing and training for their next chance at victory.

After all, Ryouji had never feared loss.

Until his Belt had been broken, and the realization had dawned upon him.

People feared loss because _they had something to lose_.

And, with this new setback, Ryouji was struck with just how much he had to lose.

He could lose what he and Jounouchi had; mutual trust, a budding friendship, maybe, just maybe, the potential for something more.

_He could lose Jounouchi._

Because, much like his Belt, their alliance had been broken – Ryouji couldn't fight for Jounouchi, couldn't fight with Jounouchi, could instead be used against the Invitto leader; Ryouji had become Jounouchi's weakness – a burden – and he could be used to hurt him.

What they had – their partnership – it had been broken.

And, Ryouji didn't know if it would ever be fixed.


End file.
